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Patients With Bipolar Disorder May Benefit From Less Sugar

According to an article in the Spring 2006 issue of bp Magazine, a decrease in the amount of sugar you consume may actually sweeten your mood!

The article reports that a 2002 study, published in Depression and Anxiety, has shown that countries with a higher sugar intake appear to have a higher rate of depression.

In addition, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state, ?the greater the consumption of foods containing large amounts of added sugars, the more difficult it is to consume enough nutrients without gaining weight.?

Thus, the intake of nutrients important to good mental and physical health, like Vitamins A, B12 and C, folate, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, tends to drop dramatically. This compounds the problems of bipolar disorder and weight gain.

Karen Fink, a senior nutritionist at Timberlawn Mental Health System in Dallas, Texas, explains another problem. A sugar high can result in jitters or a temporary energy surge followed by an energy drop and feelings of lethargy. She notes, ?For those with bipolar disorder, this can accentuate their mood symptoms and make them feel worse.?

One last, rather startling fact: One 12-ounce can of sweet soda a day add up to more than 50,000 calories in a year. With no change in eating or exercise habits, you would gain about 15 pounds over that year.

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